For his continued pass rushing acumen, the Booker T. Washington product joined OSU middle linebacker Justin Phillips on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list. The award is given out annually by the Maxwell Football Club for college football’s best defender. Remaining No. 1 in sacks would surely add to his case.

Brailford is currently T-3rd in tackles for loss nationally (11.5) to go along with his 8.0 sacks. He leads all OSU defensive linemen with 22 total tackles and leads the team with four QB hurries.

After just one sack against Iowa State, the nation’s leader is still on pace for 16.0 QB sacks which would tie an Oklahoma State record set by Leslie O’Neal back in 1984. Von Miller’s Big 12 single-season record of 17.0 is definitely within reach, as are some other school records at Oklahoma State.

At a current career total of 15.0, if Brailford can add 7.0 more QB captures he’ll knock his current DL coach Greg Richmond (21.5) out of the top 5 in career sacks in orange. If he sticks around for what seems like will be Year 10 of his eligibility in 2019, the all-time mark of 34.0 held by O’Neal is at risk. The Big 12 record is, again held by Texas A&M’s Von Miller, is 33.0.

The first round of cuts for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced October 29 and three finalists will be announced November 19. The winner will be announced at the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards on December 6.

No Cowboy has ever won the award and it’s only gone to a Big 12 player once, during its inaugural year in 2003 when Oklahoma’s Teddy Lehman won it.